I have a completey stripped 914 chassis that needs electrics. I am pretty good with wiring, so not intimidated. Question is: Easier to install a stock wiring harness or wire the car myself using spools of automotive wire?

I've only wired racecars and even with their few accessories they take a while to do.

Installing the stock harness would be much faster and easier IMHO.

I think in the future you would be way better off with a stock harness for many reasons. If your building a racer, sure. Wire it, save pounds. For future troubleshooting of electrical problems, resell value, and for the future owners mental health . A stock harness would make sense.

Steve

I've been thinking about pulling mine (harness that is) during resto but then cutting it where it goes back behind the firewall and adding large circular connectors to ease reinstallation. Something like these but higher density...
Click to view attachment

I am wondering the same thing. I can see where having a stock harness would
make future repairs easier (assuming you connected it up right) however the
ones I have seen for sale cost more than a brand new Painless generic car
harness ($350). Each wire in their harness is printed with the name of the
circuit along its whole length making it easy to figure out what it does.

Because I am using carbs I think using the Painless harness will be pretty
easy. They come with large, color coded diagrams that should make future
work pretty easy.

My original harness had a lot of the ends cut off, and a horrible 80s alarm
spliced into it in a dozen places, plus many terrible PO "repairs".

John

I considered a painless harness, but went with refurbing my stock loom.

The biggest issue with the painless is that they do not consider a mid engined layout. They also assume GM components (ignition, wipers, etc.)

Pull the old one, take off the wrap, and fix bad wires. In the long run you will be $$$ ahead and probably time ahead too. Plus, you will be able to look at a wiring diagram and figure out what goes where when you re-connect everyhting.

Zach

I was wondering about the mid engine versus front engine when using the
Painless. They say their wires are extra long but are they long enough?
I may call them and find out how long each wire in each circuit is.

If I could find a reasonable priced original harness in decent shape I would
probably go that way.

John

It is long enough. Degreeoff used one for his race car. But, as said earlier, the only time when it really makes sense is for a race car. For a street car you will be both money and time behind on a Painless install (IMHO).

I spent a bit of time going through my old harness. I thought it was scrap, but there were really only a few wires that needed work. For the most part it ended up being crimping on new connectors and replacing one or two bad wires. I considered taking entire circuits out that I did nto think I would be using. I am glad that I left them in now, since my build has changed more.

My car is carbed, so I was able to eliminate the engine harness (which WAS scrap - it was cut to ribbons and burned.)

If you have electrical gremlins later on, being able to look at a diagram and match color to port is a life saver. You can't do that with a pinless harness - at least not without a lot of for thought and a little creativity.

Does anyone make a "stock" wiring harness for our cars?

I've got some burned wires, and I plan on substantially changing the electrical systems in my car, but I still have a hard time thinking about scrapping the stock harness. The only way it would make sense is to wire the car as if it were a race car. The wiring, although not terribly complex, is too complex to consider a stock rewire easier than repairing or installing a harness. You'll end up giving up some functions... check out the wiring required for emergency flashers. Race cars typically don't have flashers or turn signals or headlight motors...


Cannon plugs! Very cool, very reliable, but also expensive. In addition to the shells, you'll need the proper tools to crimp and install the pins. I've re-pinned a 296 connector Cannon plug... that was fun.

Save your money and time.

I've installed 4 complete main harnesses by now, two of them twice (don't ask). If you have a set of helping hands, it can be done in an hour.

No need to cut anything, all you need is someone feeding the loom through the firewall while you pull them on the engine bay side.
That part only takes 5 minutes.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=13582

Andy

Get a good original loom. You do not have to cut anything in removing and installing the new one. Run a search on harness replacement.

Sir Andy has done this many times and I have seen him do it around four hours.

I replaced my 74 harness with a 73 one and it got done in a little over five hours.

How often do you have to remove and replace the electrical harness?

If original, keep it original for value purposes and resale.

My thoughts,
Steve Hurt

Is there any reason a 71 harness will not work in a 73 (with carbs)?

A forum member may have a 71 harness for me?

John

it may not have some of the later add-ons, like center console wiring. But it should be a good starting point. Just remember to use the correct wire diagram.

Zach

[quote name='FourBlades' date='Oct 22 2008, 08:46 PM' post='1093869']
Is there any reason a 71 harness will not work in a 73 (with carbs)?/quote]



I know the steering colum and wiper switches are totaly differant, maybe more.

Steve

they aren't that hard to pull in our out. My opinion on the multi plug is WHY ?? How many times after you restore your car do you expect the harhess to go bad?? Are you that fearful of your own work ? It's your car, your time, so do as you wish but I don't see that it makes any sense Oh and buy a JWest fuse box, THAT is an upgrade that is worth the time and expense

[/quote][quote name='kconway' post='1093679' date='Oct 22 2008, 06:03 AM']
I've been thinking about pulling mine (harness that is) during resto but then cutting it where it goes back behind the firewall and adding large circular connectors to ease reinstallation. Something like these but higher density...
Click to view attachment[/quote]
[/quote]
Cannon plugs! Very cool, very reliable, but also expensive. In addition to the shells, you'll need the proper tools to crimp and install the pins. I've re-pinned a 296 connector Cannon plug... that was fun.
[/quote]

I work wire harness engineering/fab stuff at Boeing...I've got a bunch of mated pairs in my desk drawer at work and complete access to crimp tools, sleeving etc...I suppose if I didn't burnout on doing it for a living; I might follow thru and do it in my car.
Why do it? I guess no good reason except I hear its a pain to remove and reinstall. Also it would be zero cost (besides my time) since I've got scrapped parts from work. Reinstall is probably prone to damaging wires also. No doubt the idea is excessive.

what yr harness do you need? Im stripping a 76 in the very near future,
& it wont be needing its harness anymore?
I hadnt planned on removing it prior to its demise but for a $'s I could be
persuaded. I have a 73 as well but Im less sure of its condition.

I'll take whatever I can get. Car is a '71, but there is nothing installed. I can adapt the harness to my situation.

It's not that hard to install a wiring harness. Couple of hours max. That's a lot less time then you'll spend re-wiring. There are 914's getting cut up all the time around here. It can't be that hard to get a correct harness.

Here's a thought: If you re-wire or put in a later year harness and hack ends or put later components in here and there to accommodate whatever year harness you install, you're just about guaranteed to obtain DAPO status from the next owner of your 914.

Wanna9146, I have offered a 71 Harness complete to FourBlades (hence his questions about year to year) If he passes, I'll let you know


T.C.

Hey TC, I think I will pass and try to find a 73 harness. Seems like too many
differences to make it a good idea.

Thanks....John

Where'd you find those?? I need something like the one in the back for my project!

f've got a complete 73 harness, but need harness for the front half of my 76... the 73 harness is still in the car, though. how hard is it to get out?